Tuesdays at 9:20pm on ABC TV.

Hotel Rwanda

Broadcast: 05/04/2005

Reporter: Jill Colgan

LEAD STORYSERIES 14EPISODE 30

Synopsis

In 1994 the African nation of Rwanda came close to becoming hell on earth as inter-tribal killing exploded. Over 100 horrific days, more than 800,000 people were murdered. The victims were mainly Tutsis - the killers, their Hutu neighbours, friends, and even family members. The weapon of choice – machetes. It was genocide.

The world had been warned it was coming, but chose to do nothing to stop it.Out of this horror Hollywood has now produced “Hotel Rwanda”, a box office hit that tells of one man’s courage and humanity as he sought to save at least some lives out of the chaos.

Retired Canadian Lt General Romeo Dallaire has no need to see the film – he was there in person – commanding the UN peacekeeping mission in Rwanda. He could see what was about to happen – and repeatedly asked his UN bosses for help – for a stronger mandate, for more men, more equipment – but his warnings and pleas for help fell on deaf ears.

When the killings began he and the 2,600 peacekeepers under him were not enough to protect the Tutsis.

For Dallaire, having to stand by and watch a genocide he believed could have been stopped was emotionally and psychologically devastating. He blamed himself, and so too did others - his failure was front-page news.

His despair drove him to attempt suicide several times – until he was eventually picked up, a shattered man, drunk and cold on an Ottawa park bench.

Washington-based correspondent Jill Colgan brings us a very powerful profile of this former soldier. Not only does he tell us about his personal painful journey – he also has a grim warning.He can see it all happening again – this time in Dafur, and again, no one is listening.